Almost (A Batfic)
by Thiing1
Summary: Detective Bullock finally gets a glimpse of the real Batman. The one Batman keeps concealed. The one Jim Gordon calls "friend". (non-slash) I don't own Batman in any way. If I did, I'd be as rich as Bruce Wayne and I'd own a limo. I don't, however, so I don't. Oneshot.


He was chasing Dr. Crane with every last ounce of energy in his body. The little bugger was fast, but that didn't give the maniac a reason to terrorize the neighborhood. Just as he thought that he was losing ground, Crane tripped over a fallen trashcan. He heard Crane curse bitterly about how people should take better care of their stuff. He quickly grabbed the menace in the pathetically home-made mask and quickly cuffed him with a flick of his hand using his other hand to wipe his brow.

"Geez, Commish," Detective Bullock complained, panting as Scarecrow was being dragged to the jail truck that would be going to the asylum, "This wuz a heckuva lot easier with the Bat... Zorro or not." (You thought I was talking about Batman didn't you? Admit it!)

"I know," Commissioner agreed sadly, shaking his head, "I was counting on him to be able to get out of there in time when he carried that bomb out of the city. Then.. the explosion.." Jim paused sadly, staring off into the distance, he sighed then continued, "And since his body wasn't found I guess I had hoped-" He gestured hopelessly with the hand that he had previously been using to pinch the bridge of his nose, a habit yet to be broken. The sentence wasn't finished. It didn't need to be. Jim Gordon quickly cleared his throat and went on, "This is the saddest victorious arrest I've ever had to make, Bullock... For if Batman didn't come to help with the fight at the very least, it means he... he DIDN'T make it." He had to turn away from Bullock while saying this so his detective couldn't see his face. Batman had been like the son he had never had. Now he felt like he had just lost a child.

Bullock stood there for a while. He didn't know what he could say that would comfort the Commissioner, or if there WAS anything. So he simply said what was on his mind ever since the day that he had considered that Batman wasn't coming back. He removed his hat and said solemnly, "Batman was a good man and a help to Gotham, Commish. He helped with a heart of gold, and he couldn't have done any better than he did. He was sincerely caring, even if sometimes it was hard to tell what he was feeling, and he DID freak me out a bit, I'll admit, he was always generous of his own time. And although we did have our differences, a lot of them, maybe we didn't exactly understand or know one another as much as we should have. I wish I could say that I was proud to know him. And... and, who knows, maybe I should've said something or got to know him better, maybe I woulda liked him more than I did. So, although we didn't get along most of the time, I can't help but feel as though I lost a brother."

They stood on the sidewalk in silence until: "That's nice, very nice." Both men spun around in surprise, and they took in the sight of the Dark Knight as he stood, leaning against the brick wall of an alleyway with the rare 'Batman-is-back-baby' smirk on his face, "But try it again, and this time, add a sob in there somewhere."

Bullock once again entertained the thought that Batman was just not CAPABLE of dying, but once again had to remember that he was just a normal man, no matter how many times the Zorro wannabe acted as though he was immortal, which was a lot. The way Commissioner treated him normal, however, Bullock could never understand. This last thought had just run through his mind when he saw Commissioner, still fast for his age, RUN and tackle Batman to the ground, rolling around wrestling him until Batman, now lying on his stomach, allowed the older man to be on top, only to be given a MAJOR noogie courtesy of said older man.

Bullock was shocked as he saw these two soon in a playful tug of war with Batman's cape. 'It ain't often that the freak acts so carefree.' He thought amazed by what he was seeing. He continued to watch as he saw Batman trying not to smile as he kept on tugging on the black piece cloth trying to firmly tell Jim to give it back. 'At least not around anybody except the Commish.' He completed his thought as he watched the Commissioner finally manage to yank the cape away from Batman, falling backwards onto his butt in the process. Undeterred, however, and giddy now that he knew that Batman was fine, he put it on himself and stuck his tongue out teasingly at Batman who decided that (fair was fair) he would help himself to Jim's glasses.

As this was going on Detective Bullock realized that the longer he watched, the more he no longer saw The Batman and The Commissioner... He saw a father and his son. Bullock smiled softly to himself as he thought of how perfect a person Batman had chosen for a father figure. It was such a sweet sight to see The Batman return the kind and playful gestures that Commissioner was giving, even though the Detective was there that he almost shed a tear as he walked away to his car.

ALMOST. ;)

 _ **A/N: If you recognize this story, it is because I got a new account on and I transferred it from my old account to my new account(this one). Thx!**_


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